Rhett Miller – S/T (Shout Factory / Universal Music Canada)

Rhett Miller is quietly building a powerful arsenal of solo work outside of the already excellentmaterial he crafts with his band Old 97’s. Although his newest record was made with the shadows of having lost his hero and grandmother lurking in the background, the twelve tracks here retain a certain amount of low-key optimism despite these circumstances: Opening tracks Nobody Says I Love You Anymore and Like Love start things off on the right foot with Miller exhibiting his usual clever blend of pop and roots music. The record is decidedly low key on a few occasions, most notably on Sometimes, Another Girlfriend and Bonfire, but given the circumstances around the record, these songs or the feelings behind them don’t necessarily come as a surprise.

This is a truly outstanding record; I highly recommend Rhett Miller as essential listening this summer.